True Sponge Cake Recipes

SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4, butter and line the base of two 20cm spring-form cake tins with baking parchment.
• Using an electric whisk beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Crack the eggs in one at a time and whisk well, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Add the lemon zest, vanilla, flour, milk and a pinch of salt. Whisk until just combined then divide the mixture between the two tins.
• Bake in the centre of the oven for 25-30 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle of each cake comes out clean. After 10 mins remove the cakes from their tins and leave to cool completely on a wire rack. Fill how you like. My personal favourite is a good dollop of lemon curd and some fresh cream, then dust the top with icing sugar. Will keep for 3 days.

TRUE SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Measure all ingredients.
• Sift sugar through fine sifter one to four times before measuring.
• Sift flour once before measuring.
• Separate yolks and whites of eggs.
• They will beat easily if at room temperature.
• Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry and beat in gradually 1 tablespoon sugar for each egg white (out of sugar called for in recipe) and set aside.
• It is unnecessary to wash beater before beating yolks.
• Add liquid to egg yolks and beat until lemon-colored and so thick that beater turns with difficulty.
• Add lemon rind.
• Beat in remaining sugar.
• Combine yolks and whites and fold together with spoon until mixture is even.
• Mix and sift remaining dry ingredients and cut and fold into egg mixture.
• Do not beat after adding flour, to avoid breaking air bubbles.
• Pour into un buttered tube pan (9-inch), two 9-inch layer pans, or 12 to 18 muffin tins.
• Cut through mixture several times to break large air bubbles.
• Bake 1 hour or more in moderately slow oven (3250 F.), if in angel-cake or other deep pan.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes in moderate oven (350F.) if in layer-cake pans or individual tins.
• Invert on wire cooler and let stand until cold.
• Loosen with spatula or knife.

SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans or two 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheets. Line bottoms with parchment; butter parchment and flour pans, tapping out excess flour. Whisk together egg yolks and 1 cup granulated sugar in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and thick enough to form a ribbon that dissolves onto itself, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla and salt; transfer to a large bowl.
• Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar and beat on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 2 minutes. Fold one third of egg whites into yolks, then gently fold in remaining whites. Sift flour over top and gently start to fold in. When nearly all is folded in, pour melted butter down side of bowl and fold just until incorporated and smooth.
• Divide batter among pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes for rounds, or 15 minutes for sheets, rotating and switching racks halfway through. If baking in round pans, immediately invert cake and remove parchment, then reinvert and cool right side up. If using baking sheets and making a rolled cake, immediately invert cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with confectioner's sugar. Dust top of cake with confectioner's sugar and roll up in towel. Let cool completely, about 1 hour, before unrolling and spreading with filling.